Navy vet guilty of conspiracy to export defense articles

PHILADELPHIA — A Navy veteran deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom was found guilty by a federal jury Tuesday of conspiracy to export defense articles without a license and attempted export of defense articles.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation that led to the guilty conviction.

Alexandre Astakhov, 28, is scheduled to be sentenced May 13. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years in prison.

According to court records, Astakhov traveled from his residence in New York to Philadelphia Sept. 12, 2012, and purchased three high tech military thermal weapon sights for $41,000 in cash from a government informant. Astakhov told the informant he intended to illegally export the devices purchased.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Livermore prosecuted the case.